Bulletin of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society, Vol. 34, Nos. 1 and 2 Massachusetts Archaeological Society
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Bridgewater State University Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University Bulletin of the Massachusetts Archaeological Journals and Campus Publications Society 1-1973 Bulletin of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society, Vol. 34, Nos. 1 and 2 Massachusetts Archaeological Society Follow this and additional works at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/bmas Part of the Archaeological Anthropology Commons Copyright © 1973 Massachusetts Archaeological Society This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. BULLETIN OF THE MASSACI-IUSETTS ARCI-IAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY VOL. 34 NOS. 1 and 2 OCTOBER 1972 - JANUARY 1973 CONTENTS BULL BROOK: A PALEO COMPLEX SITE Page WD..LIAM S. FOWLER -- -- 1 THE CATTAIL CREEK FLUTING TRADITION FLOYD PAINTER __ __ __ 6 POSSIBLE PALEO-INDIAN MIGRATION ROUTES IN THE NORTHEAST HAROLD W. BORNS, JR -- 13 PROJECTILE IMPORTS: HOW TO RECOGNIZE THEM WILLIAM S. FoWLER 16 SEAVER FARM SALVAGE EXCAVATION WD..LIAM B. TAYLOR 24 RESTORING ARTIFACTS WILLIAM S. FOWLER 29 PUBUSHED BY THE MASSACHUSmS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INC. SOCIETY OFFICE, Bronson Museum, 8 No. Main Street, Attleboro. Mass. MASSACHUSETTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OFFICERS President Ralph Bates 42 Leonard Street, Bridgewater, Mass. 02324 First Vice President Josephine Laugelli 219 Beechwood Street, Cohassett, Mass. 02025 Second Vice President Ross W. McCurdy 9 Manchester Street, Attleboro, Mass. 02703 Corresponding Secretary George S. Gibb 597 North. Main Street, Attleboro, Mass. 02703 Recording Secretary Jean-Jacques Rivard 1117 Boylston Street, Brookline, Mass. 02167 Financial Secretary Mabel A. Robbins 23 Steere Street, Attleboro, Mass. 02703 Treasurer Eleanor W. Athearn 5105 North Main Street, Fall River, Mass. 02720 Editor William S. Fowler Bronson Museum, Attleboro, Mass. 02703 Trustees Guy Mellgren and William B. Brierly Robert K. Cunningham Carol Barnes Robert Wile F. Newton Miller Alan B. Lowry J. Frederick Davis MASSACHUSETTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN, pub lished in four Numbers of one Volume each year, commencing in October. Price this issue $1.50 (Subscription by membership in the Society: $3.00) Note: Address all requests concerning membership to the Secretary; aU orders for back Bulletin numbers (4 for $2.00 to members) to the Editor; and mail Society dues to the Financial Secretary. Exception: Classification (Stone Im plement), Vol. 25, #1, and Classification (Products), Vol. 27, #3&4 - each $1.00 to members, $2.00 to non-members, both fulZy illustrated. BRONSON MUSEUM Tel. 222-5470 This is the Society's Museum, 5th Floor of the 8 North Main Street Building, Attleboro, Mass. - Museum hours are from 9:30 to 4:30, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. For special arrangements to visit on other days, contact the Director, Maurice Robbins, or the Curator, William S. Fowler at the Society Office, Bronson Museum, Attleboro, Mass. The Museum includes exhibits of artifacts and seven dioramas portraying man's prehistoric occupation of New England. The displays are arranged so as to show man's development through four culture stages, from early post glacial times. The most recent diorama extends 15 feet across the front of the museum. It depicts an Archaic village of seven large and unique wigwams as indicated by their foundations, excavated at Assawompsett Lake by the Cohannet Chapter. Human figures to scale make the scene come alive and help create what unquestionably is an outstanding addition to our ever growing museum displays. This journal and its contents may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, re-distribution, re-selling,loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. ©2010 Massachusetts Archaeological Society. 1 BULL BROOK: A PALEO COMPLEX SITE WILLIAM S. FOWLER Several reports followed one by William C. Eld present can only be surmised. However, a Clark ridge and Joseph Vaccaro in 1952, published in the University geologic study made of the area at the Society Bulletin, Vo1.13,#4, describing their discovery time of the discovery calls attention to the probability and excavation of this Fluted point site. The sub that the land rose considerably during the first several sequent site reports were by Douglas S. Byers, two of millenniums, after retreat of the glacial ice pack that which appeared in the Society Bulletin, Vo1.18,#3, formerly covered the area - land at the mouth of the and Vo1.20,#3. St. Lawrence River is still rising. Therefore, it is con ceivable that at the time of the Paleo occupation this The purpose of this paper is to review recoveries sandy plateau was somewhat lower than as of now. made at the site for the enlightenment of those not Also, with the lower sea level of those days, canoe acquainted with this outstanding example of a Paleo travel up Bull Brook would doubtless have been above occupation in New England. Since the earlier writ tidewater as the site was approached. Over the years ings on the subject, hundreds of new members have that followed a foot or more of sand has been laid been added to the Society's membership to whom down by wind or water action covering the Paleo Bull Brook is only a name. Because of this, the writer remains. believes this an opportune time to describe the site firsthand, as a result of his experience assisting in its When the writer arrived on the scene at the invi excavation on two separate occasions. This occurred tation of Joseph Vaccaro, three years of excavation in 1953 or 4, some time after much work had been had explored much of the area not disturbed by sand done excavating the area by the discoverers, assisted removal operations. However, an untouched extensive by Nicola, Frank, and Tony Vaccaro, and several area still remained toward the bluff's edge reaching others as time went by. northerly through a light growth of white birch, oak, and poplar. Here, work was continued in which the It all started in the spring of 1951 near Ipswich, writer participated. And although he was not one of Massachusetts by recovery of a Fluted point of Hint, those lucky enough to make a find, he did witness which had been brought up to the surface by a bull several recoveries of the Paleo complex in situ, of dozer; the site was in the process of being destroyed which two were photographed and now have been by sand-removal operations. Not knowing where to illustrated. dig at first, it was hit-or-miss work with not much luck resulting. Then rain came to dampen initial ardor, necessitating erection of a tarpaulin shelter on THE SITE AND ITS PALEO REMAINS the inside edge of the field. With work stalled momen tarily, one of the group suggested digging there under The site had loam cover to a depth of 6 or 8", cover and out of the rain. Soon, to their utter amaze which evidently had been cultivated at some time in ment, a perfect Fluted point was recovered from. a the past. It contained occasional artifacts left by low level. Now excitement reigned, and the hunt for later culture occupations, including some items of the further evidence of early man was on. colonial period. Below it occurred an even sand de posit, which, at a depth of 10 to 15" below loam, The site lies on the northern edge of the town changed to a coarser sand accumulation that appeared ship of Ipswich, about 3 miles inland from the ocean more stabilized. It gave one the impression of being as the crow Hies, at the edge of a tidewater salt marsh, somewhat hard packed, and it was here that the Paleo and on a high sand plateau about 40 feet above sea remains were found. Some artifacts appeared scat level. This sandy elevation reaches northerly to the tered here or there, while many were recovered from next town of Rowley, and about half way between, workshop areas of from 3 to 5 feet in diameter. At Bull Brook has cut a channel, through which it flows these spots flakes were present of the flint materials into the marsh and thence to the sea. At the base of then in use. They commenced to appear at about the elevation, directly below the site and above tide 10" below loam, and continued down 5 or 6" into the water is an active spring, evidently a feature that firmly packed layer of sand. The writer witnessed made this an attractive camping place over an ex-' excavation at this low level of one of these workshops, tended period of time. Beyond this, what has taken of which many finally were uncovered. The flakes place here over the 9,300 years - as will be shown in this case were not large, perhaps because only a by radiocarbon dating - that separates it from the small artifact was involved. It was a flint Stem scraper, 2 MASSACHUSETTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY which suddenly showed up among the chips, and gave tools of the Paleo complex recovered in close associa the impression of having just been made. It is shown tion with them; representative specimens have been being uncovered in the accompanying illustration illustrated (Fig. 3, # 1-28.) (Fig. 1). Fluted Point (Exhibits #1-15). Fluted projec tiles at this site range from 1% to 3%" in length, and have relatively broad parallel-sided, concave bases, with only a suggestion of ears in a few instances. Basal sides are often ground, while pointed ends invariably taper; are not stubby except when reworked from a broken tip (Exhibit # 14). Partly finished specimens and broken sections show the fluted technique to have followed a certain procedure. First, the base of a roughed-out form was chipped so as to produce a straight beveled striking platform.